Power reset wringer



Feb. 11, 1941.

H. W. ALTORFER POWER RESET WRINGER Filed Nov. 21, 1958 8 S'heets-Sheet 2Q venan M /WOJ Feb. 11, 1941. H. w. ALTORFER roman RESET WRINGER 8Sheets-Sheet 3 .Filed NOV. 21, V1958 4, ,j r Q K am A( v Kb JMW U QQ MN@WNY j j W N, A wr 11A @um Feb. l1, 1941; 'y1-1. ALToRx-'l-:R

rowiaa RESET WRINGER' Filed Nov. 21, 193s 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 'Y aye/afar/ZOQZ/ W Q/farfef 111 1 M11 Feb. 11, 19,41. V1. w, ALTORFER 2,231,651

POWER RESET WRINGER Filed Nov. 21, 1958 s sheets-sheet 5 Feb. 11, 1941.H, w, ALTQRFER Y 2,231,651

POWER RESET WRIANGSR Fuednov. 21. 193s a sheets-sheet ya'- www5 PatentedFeb. 11, 1941 I UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE i y l l y rownarlis nvHenry W. Altorfenleorlmlll. application November zi, 193s, serial No.241,516

' e claims. (ci ca -esa) This invention relates to clothes wringers ofthe. type usually found on domestic electric washing machines.

The rapid increase in the sale and use of g domestic washers hasnaturally developed and accentuated their faults or imperfections. Thishas been particularly true of power wringers, and

asV wringers are actually used more by the operator than any other partof the machine, the

lo need for safer, more effective and easier operated wringers has beenurged by public demand.

The particular object of this invention is to provide a wringermechanism that will perform all of its functions easily, quickly andsafely, the

l5 release mechanism being independent of other mechanism and positivein action. y

Another object is to provide a mechanism wherein certain safetyoperations. such as stopping rotation of the rolls when pressure is re--leased, would be performed automatically.

'A still further object is to provide mechanism wherein the manualresetting of pressure on the rolls in accomplished quickly and safely bypower, thus making it easier and more convenient for the operator.y Theparticular object of such 'mechanism is to encourage safety practices,such as releasing roll pressure when only slight hazv arde existwhereotherwise the operator naturally might tend to take a chance.`rather than exert the necessary eifort vto reset pressure.

Another object is to combine with the foregoing objectives, power resetand safety roll stop mechanisms, all the conventional safety pressurerelease mechanisms, automatic shifting of rain 35 boards and otherwringer features in a wr nger that is simple and sturdy in structure andthat can be manufactured economically.

Other objects and beneiitswill be disclosed by the followingdescriptions and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a. front elevation view oi' my wringer complete;

Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 in longitudinal cross-section tobetter show the interior arrangement. of the structure and parts;

Fig. 3is a broken front elevation view with the top frame on thel lowerframe but no pressure on the rolls at the start of the power resetoperation;

50 Fig. 4 is an `enlarged broken `end elevation view on the section line4-4 of Fig'. 2, showing parts of the power reset'mechanismf Fig. 5 isanenlarged end elevation view of the' power reset clutch as it appearsfrom the line I--lofFigJy l y j v roll is journaled in outside bearing21 being a .plain bearing, and the inside bearing 28 being in the natureof aI conventional cylindrical coupling.

lever is lifted;

, Fig. 9 is an isometric view of the flipper board actuating dog;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged end elevationview partly in section to reveal1gear and gear shift mecha- 15 gismzas it appears on the section lineill-I0 of 8 i Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the sectionline ii-Ii of Fig. 3, showing the ipper board and iiipper dog as theyappear 20 when the lower roll is rotating counter-clockwise; Fig. l2 isan exactly similar View to Fig. 11, showing the flipper board andilipper dog as they appear when the lower roll is rotating clockwise;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged plan view of the safety 25 release mechanism asit appears in reverse position or upsidedown; i l

- Fig.l 14 is an enlarged sectional elevation view o! the safetyreleasemechanism in normal position on the section lines II--Itv of Fig.16; 30'

Fig. 15 is an exactly similar view to Fig. 14, showing the actuation ofthe release mechanism Vwhen the release handle is rotated as shown indotted outline in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 16 is a sectional end elevation view of the 35 release mechanism onthe section line i8--i8 of Fig. 13.

Now referring -to Fig. 1 of the illustrations, I designate the lower ormain frame by the numeral 20 and the top frame, movable vertically 40upwards, by the numeral 2i. The lower frame 2li is finished by end caps,the numeral 22 designating the outside end cap and the numeral 23 theinside end cap. y Attached to the lower frame is a wringer post pivotcasting 24, the attachment being best shown in Fig. 2.

Now referring to Fig. 2, I designate the lower roll as 25 andthe upperroll as 28. The lower 'I'he top roll 26 is carried on U-bolts 29 atframe20 by camv lugs 33 integral with the lower frame. A cambar 34 has camslots 35 co-acting with the cam lugs 33 and is rotatably mounted in thetop frame 2| in bearing lugs 38.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be noted that the cam bar 34 has alever pin 31 inserted in its outer end. By means of this lever pin thecam ybar 34 is rotated approximately 90, .the two ex treme positionsbeing shown in Fig.` 4, one in full and the other in dotted outline31'.' Co-acting with this lever pin 31 is a bell crank member 38 whichhas an inwardly projecting extension 38' to contact the pin 31. On theopposite arm of the bell crank 38 is attached a link arm 48 by means ofa shoulder rivet 4|. The lowerend of this connecting link 40 is attachedto a crank member 42 rotatably mounted on a shaft 44v jour-y naled inthe lower end of the main frame. This crank 42 attaches to theconnecting link 40 by shoulder screw 43. It will readily be appreciatedthat upon rotation of the crank 42-the bell crank 38 is oscillatedthrough anvarc of approximately 'l and by contact with the lever pin 31such movement will rotate the cam bar 34through an arc of approximately90 which by co-action of the cam slots 35 in the cam lugs 33' urges thetop frame 2| downward into normal operating position with the lowerframe. A

Now referring to Figs. 5,' 6, 7 and 8, it willvbe noted that thecrank`42 is pinned to the shaft 44 by the pin 45. The opposite end ofthe shaft 44 is attached to the clutch housing 46 by pin 45'. Thisclutch housing 46 rotatably supports the outer end ofthe shaft48 in thebearing 48', the shaft being held inwardly by a pinion 49 abutting thepin 49' through the shaft 48. Slidably mounted in the clutch body 46 isthe clutch slide body 46. Normally the spring 52 would hold the clutchslide 50 into engagement with the pinion 49 and thereby the shafts 48and 44 would be attached, thus causing rotation of the crank member 42.

'Ihe clutch slide'` 50 is held in position in the clutch body 44 by theplate 41 attached by the screws 41. Means is provided to throw out theslide member 50 from engagement` with the pinion 49 as shown in Fig. 7by .thecam lever 53 pivotally mounted by the pin 54 on the frame 20. Thecam lever 53 normally holds the clutch out of engagement bymeans of thespring 58 which holds the cam lever 53 downward as shown in Fig. 7.However, as will later be explained, means is provided to manually liftthe cam lever 53, whereupon the slide 50 moves upward into engagementwith the pinion 49 and the crank 42 is rotated. However, when thismanual lifting of the cam lever 53 is released, it again returns to theposition as shown in Fig. 7 and by means of the bevel cam faces 55 and55 coming into contact with the bevel surfaces 56 and 56' of .the slide50, the slide is again driven downward into released position as shownin Fig. '1. It will thus be apparent that if the cam lever ismomentarily released, the shafts 48 and 44 would rotate 360 and stop.Because the cam surfaces 55 and 55' and 86 and 56' areA balanced on thecenter-line of the slide so, xt'w'm be obvious that this action' willoccur regardless of which direction the shaft 44 is rotated.

Now referring to'Fig. 9 I illustrate an automatic actuating device forthe drain iiipper board. Exactly similar notched and formed steel stripmembers 58 are pivoted together through the notches at their upper endand urged to' gether by the spring 62 held by the rivet 6|. This lemonsqueezer structure surrounding the split bearing 60 has the effect ofmaintaining this split bearing in frictionfcontact with .the shaft tocause Vrotation of the-members 58. whereupon the opposite end 59'5surrounding,thev actuating member of the flipper'. board causes theipper board to be maintained in either ofthe extreme'positions bymeans-off the vfriction of-'thejbe'arlng 68 on the shaft.'I'l1'e`bearing"6 |l`.i`s of the oil impregnated'type to avoidexcessivegfrictiongand-,squeak- `ing, and inasmucmasf-theBhaft is' ofrelatively low rotationalslfie'eid..l result is effectivelyaccomplished. i

Referring t0 Figs. 11 and.' 12,- it will benoted that a stamped .steelsegment gear member 83 is mounted on thegshaftll as shown in Figs. 2 and3. A tail 63f of thisysegment member 83 is imposed between the angularextensions 69 of the friction members, andas before explained. the lemonsqueezer-action yonthe members 68 on the bearings 60 have'the. effect ofrotating the segment member 83 as fares it will goin eitherdirection,"`,depending upon the clockwiseor'counter-clockwise.'rotationlof the shaft 1|. A companion segment gearmember 841s riveted to the flipper board-65 by thelshoulder rivet 64'.'I'his shoulder rlv'etfjis vsupportedvby, bracket 66 which with thecompanion bracket 6 6' supports the flipper boardfii. Iltwill thus beseen that the flipper board is held in. either of its two extremepositions and that'. drain water from the rolls 25 and 26isvdirectedthrough the funnel opening 28" of the mainframe 20, whereupon theflipper board will direct it to either side of the wringer by means'ofthe sub-drain board 66' attached to the lower frame 28 by screws 85".From the above description it .will be apparent that I have provided anautomatic means to direct the drain water to either side of the Wring--er as would properly be determined by the direction of rotation of thegear head shaft 1 Now referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 10, I will describethe drive mechanism enclosed in the innerv end of lthe wringer. A stubshaft 61 is driven from Ithe gear case as the wrlnger is mounted on thewringer support tube by means of the pivot casting 24. On the upper endof this stub shaft 61 is a bevel gear 61 fixed in place by a pin. Thebevel gear 61 meshes permanently with ma'ting gears 68 and 69 whichrevolve freely on the horizontal shaft 1|. On the horizontal gears 68and 69 are clutch lugs 68 and B9 for clutching engagement with similarlugs 10 on the clutch 10 slidably mounted but keyed to the shaft 1| bythe key 1|'. It will be understood that the rotation of the shaft 1| isreversed by sliding the clutch 10 from one gear to the other or stoppedvwhen clutch is in neutral. On the left end of the V1() is another spurgear 15 keyed to a shaft 16 of the Journal 1l in theend cap 23 is mount-.ed a clutch gear 11 having pins 11'- for engagement in recesses 15',inthe gear 1,5. This clutch gear 11 is urged inwardly into clutchingengagement by compression spring 10 but is controlled by the clutchlever `llurockably mounted on the frame by the shoulder screws 91 asbest shown in Fig. 10. ,Above the clutch gear 11,l riveted to astub-shaft 00, is `the segment gear lever 19 which may be engaged androtated by the clutch gear 11 when :the clutch gear 11 is permitted tomove inward into clutching engagement with the pinion 15. It will-'benoted on Fig.'10 that the clutch lever Il has".-yoke lingers 3|' whichengage the snoulderso: the cintehipmion .11 for controlling themovement; thereof. `The upp'er end of the clutch levertntliabent inwardto provide a cam face 9|" which engages withfa ycam pinned to the cam`A,3l by the pin". In S'the bevel facejpf the cam 05 is'bestshown as itisbefore engagement with'the camface 9 i vFrom the above uitvxill `beapparent that .the cltch'lever 8| may be actuated by. movementv ofthe-cam' rod 34 and the cam 8l. On the :opposite end of the stub shaft301s a handle 83 pivotally attached to the shaft 90 by the pin 9|. 'Iheupper end of this handle 83 has a beveled'face 83,' for engagement witha slidable button 02 designed to contact the clutch lever 8| when thehandle is thrown outward, as best shown in Fig. 3. This action, as willbe wellsunderstood, has the' effectl of declutching the'clutch pinion 11the object of which will later be `expliatined. Y 1 i Now referring toFigs. 10 andl 3, it will be noted that the segmentiever gear. 19 rivetedto the shaft 90 is pivotailyattached to a link member y88 by means ofawsliculder rivet 89.. The lower end of the link 88, is similarlyYpivotally attached to a yoke lever 9| by means of the shoulder rivet90. The yoke lever 9| has round pins 92 attached to the inside surface'for contact with the flanges of the clutch member 10. 'Ihe yoke lever9| is pivotally mounted on a bracket 93 by the pin 94 and theIbracket-,93 is attached to the lower frame member 20V by, screws, asshown best in Fig. 3. From the above construction itA will be apparentthat when'the segmentle'ver 191s rotated -by lthe clutch pinion 11, ltheyoke lever9| will be rotated and the yoke pins92 will movev the clutch10 out oi engagement with the clutchlugs inthe gears 68 or 69, thusproviding power means to stop ro tation of the rollsyby disengagement ofthe clutch 10. It further will be 4apparent; that the clutch 10 may bemoved at the will of the operator for rotation in either forward orreverse direction by means of the handle which normally is atbody 46on"`the shaft 40 is engaged to rotate the 1 Y shaft 44 andthe crank 42one revolution.

Now referring to Fig. i, I wil-l `explainiiow .the cam lever53.istripped. ,'Ihrough openings in the .ployed in my wringer.

trams n, nr cross bnr u is inserted. urged upwardly by the spring 59against the topl edges and 90' ofthe opening. Extending vertically fromthe cross bar 93 are trip rods 31 and 91' extending through openings inthe frame through bosses 99 and 99'. Trip buttons 09 and 99A finish oi!the end of the trip rods. It will readily be understood 'that when theoperator depresaes the button I9, the rod 91 acts on the cross bar 95using the edge 96 of the opening 96 as a fulcrum and 'depresses the camlever 53, whereupon the clutch is released and the crank I2 is revolvedone revolution, the clutch again being thrown out by .the cam lever I3when the cross bar 9i is returned by the spring 59 to its originalposition. It will be appreciated that when the operator is on theopposite side of the wringer, the mechanism will work in reverse. l

Now referring to Figs. 13, 14, 15w and 16, I

vnow 4describe the safety release mechanism em- By referring again toFig. v

4 it will be noted that the cam shaft 3l is held under the cam boss 33'in unstable equilibrium. When pressure is exerted between the rolls andthe top frame 2| urged upwardly, the cam bar 34 would naturally tend torotate clockwise as shown in'Flg. 4. VThis clockwise rotation isresisted by a latch dog |00 inserted in cam bar 3l as shown in Fig. 16.The latch dog |00 is held in locked position by s. laten member lolunder ine laten 3 die a cross bar |05 extending through bosses |03 andnished by operating trip bars |06. Through the rod |05 extends a pin |04which bears on the cam surfaces I 0|". bei-,|01 is resiliently held lnposition to permit the latch dog |00 to be engaged by the latch |0| by atorsion spring 34' attached to the cam bar 34 by a screw 34", theopposite end being hooked gindea the latch member |0| as shown best inIt will readily be appreciated that whenthe trip bars |09 are actuatedtransversely, thepin |04 bearing against the cam faces |0I" will havethe effect of rotating the latch member |0| clockwise as shown in Fig.16, and thus release the dog |00 and the shaft 34 for clockwise rotation'and thus release the top frame from the lower frame' and relieving allpressure between the rolls.

Likewise as shownv in Fig. 15, if the trip bar |06 is rotated in eitherdirection, the end of the pin |04 will again depress the lever |0| torelease the dog |00 and all roll pressure. It will thus be understoodthat I have provided a safety release mechanism which will release al1pressure between the rolls by 'any transverse or rotational movement ofthe trip bar |09 and further that this mechanism is independent of suother mechanism, positive in action, and permits 'the rolls to becompletely separated without limitation.

Operation Having Ythus described the structure of my wringer and thefunctional .relationship oi its parts, Iwill now describe its operation.

Assuming the wringer in operation as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by movingthe trip bar |06 either transversely or piv'otally the latch dog |00 isreleased and the cam bar 34 rotates 90, releasing the cam surface 35from under the cam lug 33' 'and permitting the top frame 2| to move up-The latch memthereleaseofthecambaru released by power through 11 inwardinto `the inner end oi' the cam bar 'Il releases the extension `I|"oithe clutch lever Il by the-cam permits the spring Il to pushthe clutchpinion mesh with the segment lever 1I.. whereupon thepin Il engages inthe hole 'Il' of the gear 'Il and rotates the segment lever .Il

which disengages the clutch 1I by means of the l lever mechanism Il, Il,I2, il and. ll, thus stopping the rotation of the roll.`

It will be appreciated from the above that I have thus'provided a rollroll stop,- essential safety devices, made reliably eiiective' becausethe roll pressureitselt actuates and the clutch 'Il gearing. i Nowassuming the upper frame separated-from .the lower frame as shown inFig. 3, and desiring `now-to put the wringer in` operating position, it

will be appreciated that the bent end extension li" of the clutch lever8i is held outward into the path of the cam 8 5 because the clutchpinion11 Zwas left in, inward engaged position with the gear-"Il and thesegment lever 19. Tio. clear this interference, the operator pulls thehandle 88 outward as shown in Fig. 3, and this clears the y extension8|' by pushingthe button 82 inward against the trunnion lever` ll andpermits the top frame'and cam bar to be placed in proper relation totheplower frame so that it may again be set in pressure relationship. s

Theoperator now rotates the handle 83 in the 3 5- desired direction andmanually 'engages the lso .clutch 'l0 with-either of the gears 68 or 69and by merely touching 'ither ofthe buttons 99 or y 99', the clutch body6 and crank I2 are rotated one revolution. The bell crank It thereuponis oscillated 90 and the angular extension 3 8' engages the pin 31,rotating the cam bar Il 90 and forcing the cam surface 3l under the lug33' which is held by the latch dog |00 and the release mechanism itl to|08. Thus the top frame is cammed downward and the rolls again set inpressure relationship.

It will be appreciated -that the top roll must ractically'be incontactwith the lower roll before my power vreset mechanism lcan be madeto function. I have thus prevented any possibility oi' injury to anoperators hands or fingers as they might carelessly be placed betweenthe rolls when the power reset mechanism is tripped to function' and therolls forced together. I have ,thus provided a power reset mechanismwhich can be operated icalen'or't. f

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l..In a wrlnger, a' lower frame, a separable top frame, guides and camlugs on the lower frame for attaching the top frame, reversing drivegears in the lower frame, an oscillating safely with a minimum ofphyspower lever mounted in the lower frame operable by said drive gears,a one revolution'trip clutch mechanism connecting said drive gears andpower lever, a lower roll llournaled in the lower frame, a rollspring-mounted in journals from said'top frame, a rotatable cam bar andcoacting `cam surfaces in the top frame operable by said power lever,manual means to tri-p said one revolution clutch mechanism, and meanswhereby the cam bar is rotated. and the top pressure release and lrabletop frame, a pair top frame, guides andV camlugs on the lower face Il'.The clutchlever Il is now -freelfand frame for attaching the top frame,reversing drive gears in the lower frame, a lower roll jour- Y naled inthe. lower frame, spul gears driven by 'salti reversing-gears todrivethe lower roll, a

clutch controlling the direction of rotation or to stop rotation' ofsaiddrive gears, a roll springmounted in journals inthe top frame, a cam barin the top frame said bar havilng a plurality of -cam surfaces, somecooperating with said cam lugs and said bar being `rotatable in onedirection to cam the top frame and roll downward into pressurerelationship on the lower roll and by reverse rotation to releasethe topframe and rol-l pressure, a clutch pinion operable to engage the spurgears driving the lower roll, a clutch lever controlling said clutchpinion by co-action with one of the cam surfaces on the cam bar,

` and mechanism driven by said clutch pinionto move the clutch oi thereversing gears to neutral or stopped position whereby the rotation ofthe lower roll is stopped when roll pressure is released. f

3. In a clothes wringer, a lower frame, a separeversible gear mechanismin the lower frame, cam mechanism co-acting between the frames to forcethe frames and rolls together into pressure relationship, clutchmechanism controlling the action of the cam.mechanism, and a manualmeans to trip said clutch mechanism, whereby the cam mechanism forcesthe top frame downward and the rolls into pressure relationship.

`4. .In a clothes wringer, a lower frame, a seporable top frame, a pairof cooperative rolls, ref,

versible gear mechanism including a clutchgto control'the direction' ofrotation or to stop rota- `tion of the rolls, cam' bar mechanism in theupper frame to cam the framesV and rolls together in pressurerelationship and by reverse movement to release the pressure, and powermeans controlled by the movement of said cam bar mechanism, whereby whenroll pressure is released,v the clutch in the reversible gear mechanismis moved to stop rotation of the rolls.

of cooperative rolls, a

5. In a clothes wringer, cooperative and separable upper and lower framemembers, a pairof wringer rolls, reversible gear mechanism in thelowerframe, power means cooperatively associated between the frames tocam the frames together and to force the rolls into pressurerelationship. and a manually controlled clutch ooactlng between thereversible gear and the power means whereby the operator may trip theclutch and cause the rolls tionshlp.

6. In a clothes wringer, cooperative and separable upper and 'lowerframe members, a. pair to be set in pressure relaof wringer rolls,reversible gear mechanism in the lower frame including a clutch tocontrol direction of rotation or to stop rotation of the rolls, cammechanism to hold the frames and rolls together in pressure relationshipor to release the pressure, and power means driven by said reversiblegear mechanism and controlled by said cam mechanism whereby the clutchin the reversible sure is released.

' W. ALTRFER.

gear mechanism is moved toV neutral or stopped position when the rollpres- I 'K i .f

